Game



y 8, 1962 H. P. BOTTS 3,033,571

GAME

Filed June 2, 1959 ATTORNEYS 3,033,571 GAME Hugh P. Botts, 203 W. 78th St, New York 24, N.Y. Filed June 2, 1959, Ser. No. 817,596 3 Claims. (Cl. 273-127) This invention relates to game devices.

An object of this invention is to provide a game device having a wicket through which a ball can be rolled if the ball is directed properly, which wicket is hinged, so that if the ball is not directed properly and engages the wicket, the wicket can swing from a first position where the wicket is adapted to receive the ball to an alternate position where the wicket is not adapted to receive the ball.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of this type having a wicket which, when hit by a misdirected ball, falls or swings to an alternate position at which it is in proper position for a second player to direct a ball thereat.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains from the following detailed description, and the drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view showing a game device constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention, the device being shown in a first position;

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the game device in a second position;

FIG. 3 is a view in section taken on the line 3--3 in FIG. 1, a ball being shown in association with the game device;

FIG. 4 is a view in section taken on line 44, in FIG. 2, the ball being shown in association therewith;

FIG. 5 is a view in side elevation of the game device shown in the position illustrated in FIG. 1, the ball being shown in association therewith in one position in full lines and in an alternate position in dash lines;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the game device, and

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a blank from which the wicket of the game device is constructed.

In the following detailed description, and the drawing, like reference characters indicate like parts.

In the drawing is shown a game device constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention. The game device includes a base 10 (FIGS. 1-6), which may be of any suitable material and which can rest on a table or the like 11 (FIGS. 3 and 4). A wicket 12 is hinged to the base 10 by hinge staples 13 and 14. The wicket member is formed from a blank 16 which, as shown in FIG. 7, in developed form, is substantially square. A circular opening 17 is formed in the center of the blank 16. The blank 16 is folded upon a diagonal thereof, which extends diametrically of the opening, to form two sections or arms 18 and 19 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) which meet at an obtuse angle 0 of approximately 130 degrees. The wicket member is hinged to the base member along the line of fold 21 between the arms thereof. The wicket member is adapted to swing readily from the FIG. 3 position to the FIG. 4 position when engaged by a ball 22. When the wicket member is in the FIG. 3 position, the height H of the opening 17 measured from the base member is sufficiently greater than the diameter of the ball 22 so that, if the ball passes through the center of the opening 17, as shown in full lines in FIG. 5, the ball can pass through the opening without engaging the upstanding portion of the wicket member. However, if the ball is not properly directed, the ball engages the upstanding portion of the wicket member, as indicated in dot-dash lines at 22a, and swings the wicket member to its alternate position. When the ball engages the upstanding portion of the wicket member, the wicket member readily swings to ice the FIG. 4 position indicating an improperly directed roll of the ball. When the wicket member is in the FIG. 4 position, the wicket member is ready to receive the ball from the opposite position, and players may be placed on opposite sides of the wicket member and can be permitted to roll their ball when the wicket member is in position facing them. In either position, the upper arm of the wicket member is in position to be readily swung to lowered position when engaged by the ball. If desired, two or more wicket members may be arranged in a group or various arrangements may be made thereof in manners which will be obvious to those who employ the game device.

The game device illustrated in the drawing and described above is subject to structural modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A game device which comprises a base plate, a wicket member having a pair of arms meeting at an angle of approximately degrees, said wicket member, in developed form, having a substantially circular opening therein, there being a line of fold between the arms falling along a diameter of the circular opening, said wicket member being adapted to rest on one of the arms with the other arm upstanding thereabove, the portion of the opening in the upstanding arm extending above the plane of the other arm a distance great enough to allow a sphere of predetermined size to pass through the central portion of said opening, and means for hinging said wicket to the base plate to swing about the fold line, whereby the wicket is swingable between a first position in which one arm is upstanding and a second position in which the other arm is upstanding when the first arm is engaged by the sphere.

2. A game device which comprises a base plate, a wicket member having a pair of arms meeting at an obtuse angle, said wicket member, in developed form, having a substantially circular opening therein, there being a line of fold between the arms falling along a diameter of the circular opening, said wicket member being adapted to rest on one of the arms with the other arm being upstanding thereabove, the portion of the opening in the upstanding arm extending above the plane of the other arm a distance great enough to allow a sphere of predetermined size to pass through the central portion of said opening, and means for hinging said wicket to the base plate to swing about the fold line, whereby the wicket is swingable between a first position in which one arm is upstanding and a second position in which the other arm is upstanding when the first arm is engaged by the sphere.

3. A game device which comprises a wicket member having a pair of arms meeting at an obtuse angle, said wicket member having an opening therein, there being a line of fold between the arms intersecting the opening, said wicket member being adapted to rest on one of the arms with the other arm being upstanding, and a sphere of such size that the sphere can pass through the portion of the opening in the upstanding arm above the plane of the other arm, the wicket being swingable between a first position in which one arm is upstanding and a second position in which the other arm is upstanding when the first arm is engaged by the sphere.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 971,626 Nelson Oct. 4, 1910 1,427,537 Long Aug. 29, 1922 1,436,962 Kaiser Nov. 28, 1922 2,898,110 Overbaugh Aug. 4, 1959 

